Top European Seniors Tour player Tommy Horton is to give lessons at Bamburgh next Wednesday. The clinic has been organised as part of the club's centenary celebrations and Northumberland County Council's support for the De Vere Northumberland Seniors Classic at Slaley Hall next week.

Horton, who will be at Slaley for the £150,000 tournament which starts next Thursday, is one of the most successful players on the circuit - he's won 23 times and shares the record for the lowest round in Seniors Tour history with a 62 during the final round of the 1997 Scottish Seniors Open at Newmachar.

He's the only man to have won the Slaley title twice. His clinic at Bamburgh (1.30pm) is free and open to all.

Meanwhile, American Jerry Bruner has been fine tuning his swing as he prepares to defend his Slaley title.

Bruner will be bidding to become the first player to successfully defend the event.

"I am trying to work on some things and work my way into De Vere Slaley Hall," said Los Angeles-based Bruner.

Last year, the 57-year-old triumphed by four strokes from Scotland's John Chillas

He said: "I love the course and the greens at De Vere Slaley Hall.

"It's always good to be on a golf course where you feel comfortable with the greens. Reading greens is something that everyone second-guesses themselves on, wondering whether the ball is going to do this or do that.

"On that golf course I pretty much know what the greens are going to do.

"I was never second-guessing myself and so I am always able to put a good stroke on the ball because there is no doubt about what I am doing.

"The leading players on the Seniors Tour will once again make the trip to the North-East. England's Carl Mason, last year's Order of Merit winner who claimed the season opening Tobago Plantations Seniors Classic, will bid for honours along with Australian Terry Gale, England's Bob Cameron, who learned his golf at Whickham as a youngster, Argentinean Luis Carbonetti and South African Gavan Levenson. However, strong competition is not something that bothers Bruner.

"I know I will play well there. I have no doubts about that," said Bruner.

A host of top names have tasted victory in the tournament which prior to 2002 was called the De Vere Hotels Senior Classic - Horton won the inaugural event in 1995 and then again in 1998 and is the only man to win twice. Noel Ratcliffe won in 2001 and his compatriot Brian Jones triumphed in 2002.